Teressa Unaliin Baldwin (Inupiaq) was born and raised in Kotzebue, Alaska, a small native village above the Arctic Circle. She is entering her senior year at the University of California, San Diego where she is studying sociology with an emphasis on medicine and science and a minor in education studies. As a high school student, Teressa created a campaign to address the high suicide rate in Alaska. Since then, she has presented to more than forty high schools and numerous conferences about the importance of mental health.

In 2011, Teressa was selected as one of President Obama’s Champions for Change initiative. She has also furthered her leadership skills through UNITY’s 25 Under 25 program, Gen-I Youth Ambassadors and has also started a youth council in her community. Teressa is currently interning at the United States Environmental Protection Agency in the Office of Environmental Information. After she obtains her undergraduate degree, Teressa would like to continue her education by focusing on Indigenous health and social services. She also has a goal of pursuing a career in public policy.